Modern Steelhead Flies by Rob Russel & Jay Nicholas

Fly patterns, step-by-step tying instructions, and fishing tips from hardcore West Coast and Great Lakes steelheaders. Includes over 30 tiers from around the country, ranging from British Columbia to Great Lakes. Features in-depth analysis on topics such as important fly design characteristics, unconventional wisdom at the vise and on the water, and tying and fishing the popular style of fly known as Intruders. 11x8.5 inches, 256 pgs.

The book bridges a major gap in steelhead-fly literature, picking up the story in 1993 and bringing us to the present day. It’s the first book of its kind to bring the Pacific and Great Lakes schools together under one roof. It’s also unique for its analysis of steelhead fly evolution, and for presenting an “emergent hypothesis” regarding the importance of sculpins as a protagonist (spoiler alert!). The book features over 400 fly patterns from 66 contributing tiers, and over 1000 beautiful photos. Step-by-step tying instructions are included for 14 patterns, including two versions of the Intruder. The list of featured tiers includes several of local luminaries: Ethan Nickel, Matt Ramsey, Barrett Christiansen, Jason Cichy, Dean Finnerty, and of course, our very own Jay Nicholas.

14 patterns tied in detail with over 400 step by step images.
Fishing and tying tips.
Choosing the right materials.
Gallery of flies from famous anglers and tiers such as April Vokey, Lani Waller, Ed Ward, and Trey Combs.

Hardcover.